I get that a lot from my family and friends. They know I had been working the entire year to get Hillary Clinton elected President while “raging against the machine,” and that I was going to Denver to protest. I replied,
“Ummm . . . good. . . . I, I wasn’t really at The Convention.
We were like . . . the Anti-Convention!”
Post-Denver, although still mourning for what could have been, most hardcore, grassroots Hillary supporters have moved on — in one way or another. They know, or are deciding, what they will do with their votes and/or their efforts. Will they work for one campaign or other at the top, or just support down-ticket candidates? They are mulling over whether to: vote nothing on top, vote third party, write in Hillary’s name, stay home, or cast a protest vote for John McCain. For most, that would be their first Republican vote ever, and they do not take it lightly. The only reason they would do it is to protest Barack Obama and Democratic Party leaders who subverted the democratic process and 18 million voters.
But I can’t fully move on yet. This story is roiling around inside me, unwilling to be forgotten. One week plus is old news, past prime, but I keep getting these “little messages.” Last week I ran into my neighborhood Brazilian Café and struck up a conversation with husband and wife owners, Marcello and Juliet. I’d been socked away in my “Puma Den” for the last six months, making rich stove top espressos at home on the cheap.
Marcello asked, “I heaven’t seen you for a while. Where have you bean? What have you been doing?”
I hesitated protectively, having lived undercover using my handle for so long that I had to consciously produce my real name in my head before saying it. “Actually, I’ve been doing a lot of writing most of the year, political writing. Do you know what blogs are? I have a blog and contribute to other sites and efforts.”
They continued the conversation as they scurried about their business, “Oh really, and who were you supporting for President?”
My personal self gulped inside my political self having been so underground and divided, “Actually, I was supporting Hillary Clinton, working to get her elected. I still support her and believe she would make the best President.”
They both jumped to attention and gravitated back to the counter to face me, “Really? We’re for her too!”
(See why I can’t stop?) “That’s great,” I cooed, as I came clean, telling them about my blog and links to others, our efforts prior to and during Denver, and our work to ensure a roll call, a floor vote, and a record of the truth about this election.
They pointed out to me, “It’s just like 2000, Gore and Bush!”
“Right!” I answered, “and now from our own. It seems so much worse that way. Did you know that Democrats have a weird gene that makes them eat their own?”
They laughed. We talked about the delegates. They had seen the same things that Puma and Just Say No Deal Coalition members have been uncovering, observing, highlighting, and shouting about all year long: the subversion, bullying, and undemocratic processes. They could not believe when they saw the vote halted and delegates switched. “We voted. We went in and pulled the lever. Why should we even bother?”
“I KNOW. How do they do it in Brazil?”
“We vote. It gets recorded. Somebody gets elected. That’s it.”
Last Wednesday morning, a vote was held in Denver in the hotels of the state delegations. Later that afternoon, a “roll call” was held in the convention center and Barack Obama was hailed as our new nominee. The funny thing is, those of us who remember what the primary results were in some of our states could not reconcile our memories with the way our delegations actually voted. If you lived in AR or NJ, your vote was reallocated to Obama even though your state delegation should have gone overwhelmingly for Clinton. On what basis did the state chairs make the decision to reallocate the vote? Presumably, the vote earlier in the morning allowed this to happen and it should be a relatively easy thing to look at those ballots and say, “Ahhh, here’s the problem. Hillary just didn’t get the votes she needed.”
Except, no one has been able to see those ballots.
Heidi Li, Murphy and our own LadyBoomerNYC have been posting about this in the last day but what is really infuriating is that those of us who were in Denver at the time tried to tell the media what was going on and there was barely a yawn from them on the subject. It’s shameful to think there isn’t one media outlet looking into what happened last Wednesday (Late sighting! There is one. See the “more” note at the bottom of the page). After all, it was only our votes that we cast in good faith during the primaries.
The party will tell us that it is a private entity and it can make up and rescind its rules whenever it damn well pleases. But it’s a public scandal when state legislatures debate and vote on the timing of the primary and state treasuries allocate funds for the primary and poll workers are trained for the primary and voters take time off from work for the primary and little old ladies get jostled in caucuses because they mistakenly believe that it is their civic duty to turn out for the vote for a private party that is under no obligation to follow its own processes. It is a public scandal when millions and millions of dollars are solicited from individuals to fund a campaign and pay for advertising, buttons, stickers, lawn signs, campaign staff, goldfish snack crackers for volunteers, canvassing materials, phone time and rallies when the result of all that effort and money is that delegate ballots get filed in the trashcan at a private party’s convention. It is a public scandal when the will and intention of the voters is shoved aside by Nancy Pelosi who substituted her judgment for the voters, for deciding that she knows what’s best for you, and that is Barack Obama, whether you like him or not.
Who is this person we “selected” at the convention? What kind of man would allow, endorse, encourage this type of behavior on his behalf? What kind of character does he have when he accepts the nomination that resulted from crushing the will of so many voters? What kind of president will he be if he doesn’t honor the intentions of the voters in the beginning? And what were Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Jon Corzine and others thinking when they endorsed him?
What we know of the vote last Wednesday is that Hillary actually received more than 1900 delegates before the counting was stopped. We have been told that the delegate count was getting too close for Pelosi et al to explain away. We also know that some Edwards’ delegates wanted to switch their votes to Hillary but were told they were not allowed. We know that delegates, who represent you and me and their states, were threatened and intimidated to vote for Obama. What we don’t know is how close the vote actually was. We may never know because once a result is read out, and there is no protest, no media attention, the deal is done. But no one who witnessed this should feel any less outraged and those who participated in the fraud should never expect unity.
There will never be any resolution to this primary season. Barack Obama deserves to lose. Save your breath, Obamaphiles. You are not supporting a great man. There is nothing admirable about a man who accepts fraudulent vote counts on his behalf. Everything that comes afterwards is tainted. And as for the media who hyped this man to astronomical heights, don’t expect us to ever trust anything you say until you report the truth of what happened last Wednesday. We’ve never understood your hatred of Hillary Clinton. It borders on the pathological. Now, you are as responsible as the DNC and Obama himself for what happens from here. You are responsible for whatever bad thing comes of this election because the will of the voters was not honored.
There isn’t enough scorn in the world to heap upon those who are responsible for this scandal that has turned our precious country’s reputation for fair elections into that of just another banana republic. No man is worth squandering our legacy like this. Especially *this* man.
More:Heidi Li has a follow-up on the absurd story that the California delegation has been tryint to foist on an unknowing public. It looks like the LATimes is tepidly following up on the issue. Also, see this page from TheGreenPapers for the startling results of the floor vote. What was done to Hillary’s voters is disgraceful.
[Bumped] This fabulous post has been bumped for your sleepless pleasure.
Suspending Rules and Winning “By Acclamation”
I am proud to call on the Senator from New York to make the following presentation, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton:
Madam Secretary, on behalf of the great state of New York, with appreciation for the spirit and dedication of all who are gathered here, with eyes firmly fixed on the future, in the spirit of unity, with a goal of victory, with faith in our party and our county, let’s declare together in one voice, right here, right now that Barack Obama is our candidate, and he will be our President. (yays and boos)
Madam Secretary, I move that the Convention suspend the procedural rules and suspend the further conduct of the roll call vote. All votes cast by the delegates will be counted, and that I move Senator Barack Obama of Illinois be selected by this Convention by acclamation as the nominee of the Democratic Party for President of the United States. (yays and boos — Hillary, Hillary, Hillary, chanting)
“Wuh Roo?” said Scooby Doo, “What Did I See On TV?”
This was bothering me. Many of you have moved on to whatever’s next in your PUMA/Just Say No Deal/Democrat or anti-establishment lives. But I’m not that way. I can’t move forward until I understand and sort out what I have witnessed.
What exactly did we see on the “Democratic” Convention floor last Wednesday, August 27, 2008? Why was the roll call halted halfway through? Why did state after state in which Hillary won the primary election and a majority of delegates declare their votes for Obama? Who and what do all those delegates’ votes represent? As each “Great State of” our Union called out its numbers, I wondered, what was the actual delegate count? I felt compelled to compare the roll call vote with the delegate count that we were supposed to get. After all, why pull the lever if it doesn’t even matter? Wow, now that’s deja vu all over again, ain’t it?
What About My Vote?
I will recap three points that we’ve been saying for months. I’m restating, because many citizens do not realize what happened right before their eyes: The delegate count in this election was not a fair reflection of the Democratic Party electorate. 1) Hillary Clinton WON the popular vote. (Resources and numbers nearly impossible to reconcile, based on FL, MI, and caucus votes) 2) There exists growing documentation, compiled by Lynette Long and ordinary poll and election worker reporting, that caucus fraud was rampant. This occurred in the form of systematic, deliberate suppression, misinformation, pressure, and bullying, mishandling of voter and caucus rolls, and ignoring basic caucus rules. 3) Each delegate elected from a district or region in a primary state represents approximately 12,225 primary voters, but only 2,110 voters in a caucus state. Accordingly, a caucus delegate represents about 5.8 times fewer voters than one elected in a primary. So, when Obama “won” a caucus, each of those delegates stood for far fewer voters. This is especially important in the general election in the red and swing states. Pat Buchanan called Wednesday’s spectacle a phony roll call vote in his op-ed, “And If Obama Loses.”
Why Is This Year Different Than Any Other Year?
Laying that aside for now, let’s talk about how the Democratic Party screwed Hillary Clinton and everyone who was connected to her around that roll call vote. At least that was my impression leading up to and viewing it on TV. Even the scheduled time was in flux. In my recollection, in every other election year, it had been held at night for everyone to view. But this year, Hillary Clinton, the person who won the most primary votes in history, had to negotiate for her right to be on the ballot and have a roll call vote on the convention floor. Her supporters wrote thousands and thousands of letters, emails, and blogs. They raised money, ran political ads, and spoke out in the media to help the delegates stick with the one that brung ’em. All this, because the DNC leadership and Obama’s campaign were so afraid of Hillary’s success after saying they could win the general election without all of us old and new dedicated party regulars. All year they tried to strong-arm us in to Unity and make her quit.
Our dedicated coalition members worked tirelessly to have a full roll call vote and a nominating speech for Hillary on the floor during prime time. We appealed to delegates and Superdelegates with petitions, and petitions on top of petitions. We didn’t know what would happen until the last minute, although we suspected. The same with Bill Clinton’s speech: off on, off on, but not during prime time, after they edited him.
And Then It Happened . . .
All of a sudden the roll call was on, but many of us were unable to get the live-streaming on our computers, so we ran several blocks away to a “Hillary-friendly” Denver bar. We saw states yield to other states on their votes, then the Convention floor was all abuzz, as our candidate was introduced as a simple Senator, with no mention of her historic win — just one of the guys delegation. She was on the floor with her fellow NY legislators. Then they made her eat sh*t, while they had her turn around and f*cked her up the a**, while reading a “stop the vote, we’re all onboard” speech. (Oh, I should have warned you: XXX, not my usual sedate lady self, is it? I feel a little strongly about this.) Everything was orchestrated, as CA, IL, and NM yielded so that Hillary, in a great show of U-N-I-T-Y, could cast all votes of her own NY State for Obama, throwing the delegate totals over the top. Oh, right, she likes it like that, because she’s a politician. But I’m not.
Yes, we’re all good soldiers and must move on to the next front. Many already have and are considering both individually and as a group what to do leading to November and beyond. However, many people aren’t clear about what happened, and are incensed that the vote was stopped mid-stream. Below, I’ve compiled the number of delegates won by state and candidate, how the numbers changed during the roll call vote, total number of delegates, and total number of votes cast. This list is variable, depending on the source and date and because it contains Superdelegates. On the morning of the roll call vote, 10 delegates flipped back to Hillary, and the petition effort was contacted by several Superdelegates who wanted to switch to her as well, some under the lights of the press.
Fair Reflection? Arkansas, Florida, and Michigan
Just a few words about fair reflection: Arkansas flipped. The Chairman of their delegation and DNC party head, Bill Gwatney, had been murdered two weeks prior. Heard anything in the news about it? Word is that his entire delegation had signed the 300 petition to ensure that Hillary’s name be placed on the ballot. In a twist of irony, his wife delivered their state’s votes to the Convention: Unanimous for Obama, after Hillary had won their state of origin by the largest margin of the primary: 70%. Arkansas.
Florida and Michigan votes were denied and blocked by Obama, until the May 31, 2008 DNC RBC meeting when he became a charity case. The committee donated four of Senator Clinton’s Michigan delegates and all the uncommitted vote delegates, which had included votes for other candidates. Obama had removed his name from that state’s ballot, fearing a loss would taint his chances in Iowa. However, Clinton kept hers on, stating that although the votes wouldn’t count, the voters should have a say. She was smart and right.
The Rules and Bylaws Committee refused to tackle their problem of fully seating delegates representing 2.3 million voters in both states. Instead they made each delegate into half-votes, and referred an incensed Harold Ickes, attorney for Senator Clinton, to the more appropriate Credentials Committee to contest their ruling in Denver on August 24, 2008. On August 5, Obama wrote a letter to that committee, requesting that those delegations be seated and counted in full. On August 20, when they no longer had any effect on Hillary’s campaign, as they would have had they been counted when she won them, those delegations were seated in-full. I learned on August 24 that the Credentials Committee and the Rules and Bylaws Committee were comprised of the exact same people. So I guess they really meant: talk to the hand.
How Am I Driving? Pass and Yield
Lastly, how about that orchestrated roll call, pass/yield deal? It began like any other roll call. Hillary would have her due. It had been rumored for over a week that she might release her delegates before a roll call vote on the floor. This prompted a new 20% or 826 delegate petition requiring a vote. Then came word of a secret hotel vote, then a Wednesday meeting with Clinton and all her delegates in which she released them and advised they vote their conscience. She’d cast hers for Obama.
Back to the roll call: First, California passes on casting their 441 votes, of which Hillary won over half. As Barbara Boxer yields to Hillary supporter Art Torres to make the announcement, she gleefully turns to her delegation and giggles. It’s as if Boxer was saying, “Ooo, what a coup! Aren’t we clever!” Come their turn, Illinois passes. New Mexico yields back to Illinois, who yields to New York. Then a hustle bustle on the floor, so Clinton could deliver the perfect Unity blow, right into her own back. Gee, it just doesn’t get better than this, does it?
Is It Safe To Vote?
Exactly, why do we vote if “delegates” can just switch their votes, and on the first ballot no less? Why should Superdelegates be able to have a more influential vote than any ordinary citizen, enough to sway their state and an election, as perpetrated by a biased and corrupt political party? I am committed to reforming the system to one person one vote. If we don’t have that, what do we have as citizens? It’s our most basic democratic right.
The chart below shows by state the combined delegate/Superdelegate count awarded to each candidate, the first ballot floor vote, total number of delegates per state, and total votes each cast during the convention. I completed the chart for the rest of the states. By directing Superdelegates to declare their endorsements before the convention in a DNCC and DSCC letter, in press conferences and public appearances, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Harry Reid nullified their original intent. The numbers, which include SDs seem less close than they actually were.
Democratic Delegate Count vs. Roll Call Count
Democratic Convention, August 27, 2008
STATE HRC DELS BO DELS HRC ROLL BO ROLL TTL DELS TTL CAST
AL 28 29 5 48 60 53
AK 4 14 3 15 18 18
AM SAMOA 6 3 0 9 9 9
AZ 35 31 27 40 67 67
AR 38 8 0 47 47 47
CA 232 200 PASSES 441 0
CO 23 45 15 55 70 70
CT 36 24 21 38 60 59
DEL 8 14 0 23 23 23
DEMS ABRD 4 7 2.5 8.5 11 11
DC 13 25 7 33 40 40
FL 104 78 51 136 211 188
GA 29 70 18 82 102 100
GUAM 4 5 3 4 9 7
HI 8 21 1 26 27 27
ID 3 19 3 20 23 23
IL 0 0 PASSES 0 0
IN 42 41 6 75 85 81
IA 17 35 9 48 57 57
KS 10 30 6 34 41 40
KY 40 16 24 36 60 60
LA 26 39 7 43 67 50
ME 10 21 8 24 32 32
MD 39 55 6 94 100 100
MA 66 51 52 65 121 117
MI 76 72 27 125 157 152
MN 27 58 8 78 88 86
MS 13 25 8 33 41 41
MO 41 46 6 82 88 88
MT 7 17 7 18 25 25
NE 8 22 3 28 31 31
NV 13 20 8 25 34 33
NH 12 15 0 30 30 30
NJ 71 55 0 127 127 127
NM 20 17 YIELDS TO IL 38 0
IL 49 133 YIELDS TO NY 185 0
NY 159 121 0 282 282 282
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1321 1482 341.5 1831.5 2907 2174
NC 51 78
ND 5 15
OH 82 74
OK 25 21
OR 23 41
PA 101 80
PR 42 19
RI 21 10
SC 14 39
SD 9 12
TN 46 35
TX CAUC 29 38
TX 79 75
UT 11 17
VT 7 14
VI 3 6
VA 33 63
WA CAUC 31 61
WV 23 12
WI 34 53
WY 6 12
--------------------------------
675 775
+1321 +1482
--------------------------------
1996 2257
Source, delegate count: CNN Primary Results Scorecard
Source, roll call vote: CSPAN live tape up top
Total number of delegates: 4234
Number delegates for nomination, including FL, MI: 2211
Chart numbers include Superdelegates: Obama 438, Clinton 236
Et tu, Brute?
So why did so many states flip? Sources say that on the morning of the floor vote, everything was complete. Many opinions say it was finished on or before the May 31, 2008 DNC RBC meeting. But not believing our eyes and ears, in service of democracy, we kept on to preserve our and the rights of our candidate. We’ve since learned that as late as August 27, during the convention, swing-state delegations were being threatened with loss of Party funding for their states and candidate campaigns if they didn’t vote for Obama. Evidently, Obama needed Hillary more than she needed him. Otherwise, they would not have had a sham roll call or a Mile High speech to prop him up.
Oh, and as far as going Repug, it ain’t me, babe, although I will never cast a vote for Obama. In my life, the means are absolutely as important as the end, and I cannot support a candidate who derives power “by any means necessary.” If I have to cast a protest vote, I will. However, remember who brung Brazile? Her info emails with Karl Rove beginning in 2003 helped him help her promote the most unelectable Democratic candidate. So, let’s not forget who’s still trying to pull the strings and who’s still laughing all the way to the bank. Criminal, ain’t it? Too bad, Dems still ain’t got a clue.
In conclusion, Hillary and Bill Clinton were in an impossible, lose-lose situation. Some supporters got disgusted and thought they caved. I don’t think so. In order to come out of this, being seen as having done everything possible to nominate and elect Barack Obama — a far more generous and political act than exists in his little finger — The Clintons did everything possible, Bill while holding his nose, and came out smelling sweet as a rose. Party people all the way, and on to the next challenge. Yes, I’m getting there.
[“Evita,” music Andrew Lloyd Weber, lyrics Tim Rice]
The Confluence 